NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – An elderly man in East Nashville was the victim of a lawn care scam; they lost $700! But the man’s wife says the scam was a blessing in disguise.

Several years ago, Marilyn Kooch was planting flowers outside of her home on Eastland Avenue when a man pulled into her driveway.

“He had some mulch that was left over from a job,” she told News 2. “He said ‘you can have everything for $100.’”

She agreed but when the job was done, the man demanded $200!

Marilyn Kooch (Photo: WKRN)

“I said I was only going to write a check for $100 and I told him to get off of my property.”

But a year later, the man came back while her husband was home alone.

“I came home and my husband said the mulch man came back. He let him lay down mulch for $700 and I knew someone thing was wrong.”

Kooch believes the scam saved her husband’s life. He was having a stroke and she was able to rush him to the hospital.

At the East Precinct, Commander David Imhoff says lawn care scams are common this time of year across Davidson County.

“We see more reports in the spring time,” Imhoff told News 2. “People come up and want to do roof work for people, they want to seal their driveway, they want to cut their lawn, they want to mulch their beds.”

Imhoff says scammers often target the elderly, which is why family members and neighbors should look out for one another.

“Goodness gracious and there’s so many older people in this neighborhood that live by themselves,” said Kooch. “I just think these scam people just need to be dealt with.”

Metro police advise not to pay for a service unless you do some research.

Marilyn Kooch and family (Photo: WKRN)

“Don’t agree to work until you get references, until you know what they’re going to do and they have the products they need to complete the work,” said Commander Imhoff. “Just check them out a little bit.”

Kooch wouldn’t use anyone like that again. As for her husband, his health has declined and he is now in an assisted living facility.

The man who scammed Kooch was eventually arrested but never charged in Kooch’s case.